advanced editorial services

Is there a doctor in the house?

Developmental editing takes a higher level view of the manuscript with a focus on overall organization, plot, tone and voice. At this editing phase entire paragraphs may be moved, and material may be added or deleted. For fiction works, our editors will evaluate the material’s suitability for its genre and look at plot, pace, characterization, dialogue and other elements. For non-fiction titles, our editors will determine if the manuscript is complete, coherent and well organized. They will optimize the value of supporting graphics such as illustrations, tables and lists. You will receive a summary of recommended revisions. Please allow up to 12 weeks for completion of your project.

Book doctor

At your discretion, a manuscript may be turned over to one of our Book Doctors following developmental editing. The Book Doctor will make the changes recommended by the developmental editor.

Ghostwriting

Our ghostwriting services are ideal for authors who lack the time or writing skills to complete a marketable manuscript themselves. africanamericanbookandmedia.com has relationships with many experienced ghostwriters in a wide variety of genres who can take your materials and write your book in consultation with you. We carefully match your material to ghostwriters with general knowledge of your subject matter, and you retain the right to approve the ghostwriter through writing samples. At your option, the ghostwriter’s identity can be acknowledged on your book or remain anonymous.

Research/Fact-Checking

Our team of highly skilled researchers will gather the information necessary to ensure that your manuscript is factually accurate and its veracity is unassailable. We pair your manuscript with researchers who have general knowledge in the subject matter. Whether your title is a historical novel, technological novel, military history, a personal memoir, or other form, you can have confidence that your book will be thoroughly substantiated and accurate.

Proofreading

Proofreading is essential and typically done more than once before actual printing. Proofreading is a specialized skill, and our proofreaders are true professionals at their craft. They will check galley page proofs of your book line by line to ensure that the manuscript meets standard publishing conventions and also make corrections to spelling, punctuation and hyphenation that may have been missed in the editorial process. In addition, our proofreaders will check: the consistency in the use of fonts and character formatting; pagination; the location of supporting graphics such as illustrations and tables; the page length, format and spacing; the accuracy of the table of contents and chapter titles. Please allow 2–3 weeks for completion of your project.

Indexing

A user-friendly index is highly recommended for all non-fiction titles and enhances the professionalism of the published manuscript. Our indexing service will create an industry-standard topical index of your book that helps readers readily access information quickly. Our indexing professionals read your entire book, determine the most appropriate information for indexing, and create the index complete with page numbers and page ranges.